Obviously, Vietnamese restaurants are not chili parlors, but in Cincinnati the dining concepts engender a similar fervent fan base — a sort of culinary cult wherein diners revere a favorite hidden gem or mom-and-pop spot as offering the best pho. (Pho is not a 3-way but it is a bowl of steaming noodles so there’s probably some parallel to draw there.) Sadly, two of the most beloved family-run Vietnamese spots shut their doors this past year: Clifton Heights’ Cilantro Vietnamese Bistro and downtown’s Le’s Pho & Sandwiches. Both had a slew of loyal clientele who would extol the virtues of their treasured eatery’s menu above all others, and patronage definitely wasn’t the reason either restaurant gave for shutting their doors. Cilantro’s last day of business was Jan. 31 and they said in a Facebook post, “We owe our success and continuity over the past 16 years of business to you, our customers. We’d like to thank everyone — from those who helped build the foundation of the business, to our various staff members over the years, to our regular customers — for being a part of this incredible journey with us...It will be a strange feeling waking up Saturday morning knowing that Cilantro will not be opening, but it’s a decision we know is right for us and our family at this time.” The restaurant closed for a short time in March 2018 (restaurateur Simon Verderame bought it and reopened the space as High Steaks steak and frites shop; that closed after five days) before reopening in July of that year. Le’s closed its storefront at the end of February for similar reasons to Cilantro. For those who work downtown, Le’s tiny corner of Court Street was likely a familiar and favorite lunchtime destination. Husband and wife Hai and Le Bui and their family made the food fresh every day and their daughter, Huyen Bui-Gauck, said closing when the restaurant’s lease ended in March felt right. She said her parents are getting older and suffering from different health issues, and she has a nine-month-old son at home with whom she wants to spend more time. “It is such a hard decision because we have really grown so close to our customers,” she said to CityBeat in an email. “I know it might sound weird but with most of them they have become much more than just customers. We have seen people through so many stages of their life. Some people I know about their medical conditions and if they need to stay away from certain foods because an ulcer or a new trendy diet they want to try. I have seen people at the beginning of their pregnancies all the way until their children are graduated high school or college. It truly is an end of an era.”

1. Caldwell Family Wellness

2. Tiny Needle Community Acupuncture

3. Hamilton Health Associates

1. Hustler Hollywood

2. Dusty Flynt Sexy Gifts

3. High on the Hill

1. Ohio Valley Antique Mall

2. Florence Antique Mall

3. Wooden Nickel Antiques

1. Sotto

2. The Eagle

3. Incline Public House

1. Cincinnati Art Museum

2. Clifton Cultural Arts Center

3. Brazee Street Studios

1. Indigo Hippo

2. Michaels

3. Cappel’s

1. Jake Sweeney Automotive

2. Beechmont Subaru

3. Walt Sweeney Ford

1. Jake Sweeney Automotive

2. Courtesy Automotive

3. Joseph Toyota of Cincinnati

1. Jake Sweeney Automotive

2. CarZmedics

3. Carriage House Car Wash

1. Donovan’s Auto & Tire Center

2. Tire Discounters

3. AAA | Bob Sumerel Tire and Service

1. Mike’s Carwash

2. Sharonville Car Wash & Detailing

3. AAA Auto Wash

1. Marx Hot Bagels

2. Bruegger’s Bagels

3. The Bagelry

1. Huntington

2. Chase

3. Fifth Third Bank

1. Eli’s BBQ

2. City Barbeque 

3. Lucius Q

4. Montgomery Inn

5. Pickles & Bones Barbecue

6. Sweets & Meats BBQ

7. Pontiac

8. Just Q’in BBQ

9. Bee’s Barbecue

10. Midwest Best BBQ and Creamery

1. Bishops

2. Gil’s Barber Shop

3. Clifton Barbers

1. Inn of Hyde Park 

2. The Clifton House Bed and Breakfast

3. Gaslight Bed & Breakfast (TIE)

3. Murphin Ridge Inn (TIE)

1. Yard House

2. Taft’s Ale House

3. KungFood Chu’s AmerAsia

Chef Jose Salazar opened Goose & Elder, a sort of comfort food destination with self-described “Midcentury grandma” décor, adjacent to Findlay Market last year. It’s the third in the local favorite’s restaurant portfolio, which includes the eponymous New American Salazar (opened in 2013) and the Spanish/Latin American Mita’s (opened in 2015). Sydney Fisher is chef de cuisine here but Salazar himself greets patrons and puts finishing touches on just about every plate coming out of the kitchen. Though it feels more casual or at least more affordable than Salazar’s other eateries, Goose & Elder’s menu is just as creative, boasting fun takes on easy eats. Chicken wings are covered with Calabrian chili sauce and served with parmesan dip; the baked mac and cheese is infused with pickled jalapeno; fall-off-the-bone duck leg confit is served over grits; and the fried bologna sandwich comes topped with American cheese, pickles, coleslaw, an over-easy egg and potato chips. Retro cocktails like the Harvey Wallbanger and White Russian add a fun twist. And if you stop by for lunch during the week — specifically between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday — don’t sleep on the burger deal. You can get a Royale Goose burger, featuring grass-fed beef, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and Dijonnaise on a sesame bun, plus crinkle cut fries and a soft drink for $10. Pretty sweet because usually all of those options come a la carte. Goose & Elder, 1800 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, gooseandelder.com.

So, you qualified for medical marijuana in Ohio: Great, and sorry for what ails ya’. Ohio law currently allows those with certain medical conditions (cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV, PTSD, chronic pain and many more) to sign up as a patient, after being approved by a licensed physician, with the Ohio Medical Marijuana Registry and Ohio Board of Pharmacy. Your physician will approve you to use a 90-day supply of certain forms of marijuana for your specific condition — oils, tinctures, edibles, vapes. And once you’re approved, you have to go to a licensed dispensary to purchase your medication. There are only a few in the Cincinnati area: Verilife, kind of by Pleasant Ridge; Have a Heart Cincy, co-founded by Rev. Damon Lynch III and located in Hartwell, which is the only dispensary to open so far technically within city limits; and Verdant Creations in Columbia Township, kind of by Target and across from the original little MadTree taproom. (There’s also About Wellness Ohio in Lebanon.) But Verdant Creations seems to be a card-carrying favorite because it has affordable price points and offers frequent discounts. After checking in with your medical marijuana card and ID, you’ll head to the Verdant Creations waiting room to peruse a menu of the current offerings. The menu is divided by form (edible, flower, tincture, etc.) as well as brand and strain (indica, sativa). And if you have no idea what any of that means, the helpful “budtenders” will teach you about the different applications as they relate to your specific ailment, especially if you weren’t or haven’t been a big pot smoker/vaper/eater/tincture-er up until his point. Note: These budtenders aren’t pharmacists, they just know a lot about pot. (They’re also very helpful if you’re confused about what constitutes a “90-day supply” limit.) After you make your selection, it’s filled in a back room and delivered through a window with a prescription label and sealed in a bag with a staple. You have to pay in cash (they have an ATM) or some weird digital payment. But it doesn’t really matter, because prices here are reasonable. And they usually have sales, special deals and promotions. Like they offered 29 percent off their entire inventory on Leap Day (there was a line out the door and an hours-long wait). Sign up for text alerts for discount notifications. Verdant Creations, 5149 Kennedy Ave., Columbia Township, verdantcreations.com. 

Tucked away in a strip mall along Dixie Highway and helmed by a former U.S. Army Sergeant and family (look for veteran and service member discounts), Sake Bomb in Erlanger is a staple of sorts among Northern Kentuckians. Serving up Korean and Japanese grub — including sushi, bento boxes, ramen, stone bowls and more — the restaurant also touts items that cater to a variety of dietary needs, from vegetarians to those who need or want to go gluten-free. Sake Bomb has also developed dishes that cater to those with diabetes, including a bowl made with barley/brown rice and a medley of veggies: bean sprouts, spinach, lettuce, carrots, beets, zucchini, mushrooms, pickled radish, broccoli and kimchi — all topped with an egg. In another quirky turn, you can also feast on goetta fried rice here and green tea ramen. Bonus: Sake Bomb keeps the kiddos entertained with DIY sushi classes. Sake Bomb, 3072 Dixie Highway, Erlanger, sakebombcatering.com.